WHY YOUR FIRST DAY AT WORK IS NOT ABOUT YOU

How to have a good first day at work?

Understand this: Your first day at work is not about your work. Your first day at work is not even about you. It is about the others. That is why you need to be distraction free and be as completely present TO OTHERS as possible.

Rule number one: Close your mobile phone when you enter into the building. You don’t want your mom or spouse congratulating in the middle of presentation round. Second rule: forget you. Full stop. You need to stop obsessing about trying to memorize the way to canteen, pension plans and your own fears about how you’ll be judged.

"You need to accept the fact you are an actor on the stage called work." -Max Noble

In moments of uncertainty and danger, you need to fight this desire to turn inward. There is a very simple technique to save your first day at work. Breath. Breath slowly and deeply. This way you kill the cortisol in your reptile brain that makes you fearful and unable to thing clearly.

After that you need to accept the fact you are an actor on the stage called work. Instead of focusing on how uncertain you feel, focus on others. Take the initiative to introduce yourself. Start building trust with your co-workers right away and learning who is who (especially spotting the ones to be avoided and potential mentors are good ones).

Since all humans are social creatures, it follows that they want to be liked and trusted. Show your liking and respect by listening actively, being politely interested about them (are those your kids?), don’t be afraid of talking off the work time to time if there is an opening for it. And smile. Smile is the key to success. Make yourself pleasant to be around from first moment. Pleasant co-workers are always wanted and even rare species in office jungle. Make that you offer to the team not only your skills and knowledge (all are supposed to have those), but your pleasantly positive attitude and refreshing proactive way of listening. Do not actively participate to office gossip (some mentors think that informing about who is the jerk of the house is their duty). Listen and learn, but do not take any stand.

"It is the fool who takes sides from the start." -Max Noble

The truth is that you have only one first day at the work and you need to also make a mark. A positive mark. It can be homemade cookies (very popular next to coffee station) or showing appreciation. Nothing works like kindness and genuine appreciation. Show your appreciation to everyone who helps you during your first day on the job — from your coworkers to receptionists to the folks in human resources. Your career depends on these people and they deserve a taste of your good spirit.

Leave late. Don’t be the first one leave, even if you are told that that was it all for today (unless you are asked to leave directly). Stay for a while. Talk those who are open for it. Drink coffee or water. Help in anything or anybody in need. The guy who carried water dunk will remember that you opened the door and most likely greets you friendly next time you see each other. It is the small things that count.

Finish the day with a small planned celebration. Eat a decent dinner with your spouse or go for a drink with a friend. You deserve it. You made it.

Remember: The more you are liked and trusted from the first moment, the more success you will have in the future. 

My name is Max Noble and I am the Master of First Impressions. I am authoring a book titled: “The Laws of First Impression” which this article is part of. I am passionate about helping people to create precise and favorable First Impressions.

Visit www.maxnoble.com for more insights.

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